Bradshaws Auto Repair - Hawthorne — Local services in Portland

BUYER BEWARE!!!!!! I'm not sure how anybody can give these guys 5 stars. When I saw 5 stars from so many people on Bradshaw's website I thought I couldn't go wrong. But $1300.00 later the same noise, issue I went in originally for is still there. The problem was never fixed. Shame on me for going back a second time. Here's my story...Went in September because of a screeching noise in my engine. They checked it out, called me and said they heard two noises. So they changed the Transfer Case ($626.00), but never fixed the loud screeching noise (the one I went in for originally). They told me that the front wheel bearings needed to be changed. I couldn't afford both, so I said I would come back to have the bearings changed. I picked up my car that day and the screeching noise was still there only worse and louder. I took my car in 12/14/18 to have the bearing replaced ($647.00). Picked up my car, drove off and the very same screeching noise I brought it in the first time was still there. They never fixed the original issue I brought the car in for the first time. This is totally unacceptable. Bradshaw's does enough business you'd think they'd hire mechanics who know what they are doing. When I called and told Tim that the original issue was never resolved. He said "bring it back in it might be a drive shaft issue". Really Tim!!! Shame on me for bringing it back a second time. Bradshaw's you stole $1300.00 from me....

I booked an appointment because my car had a strange low speed intermittent clunk driving over potholes and the noise goes away with braking. I decided to take it in to Bradshaws based on the reviews. During the diagnosis I told the technician that I think it may be a brake problem because the noise goes away with braking. He dismissed it very quickly and said everything was tight. I thought it was a bit strange because I didn't see him taking off the wheels to check the brakes (maybe I missed it?), but what do I know I'm not a mechanic. After 1+ hr of diagnosis he said he could not find the main problem and I was told to come back for a more detailed check, I was a bit frustrated for sure.

Somehow I still think it was a brake issue, I pulled up the brake diagrams and spent some time on the internet and decided that it's likely the anti rattle spring. Ordered the parts, jacked up the car and took off the wheel. Guess what, the spring was missing (see picture, arrow)! I put on the spring and the noise was instantly gone.

I'm a bit upset that I paid $60 for something that I ended up having to diagnose and fix myself, and I'm not even that knowledgable about cars. I think sometimes a customer's input should be taken more seriously. If a layperson can identify probable brake issues based on the symptoms, a mechanic can definitely diagnose it if just a bit more attention was paid...

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY AT THIS SHOP! I took my car in for a DEQ testing, and mentioned a couple other things that I wanted them to check out. In total they charged me 500$ in diagnostic fees. Other than the emissions testing all they did was tighten my oil drain plug, replace my oil intake cap, replace a headlight, and look at my transmission (it turned out nothing was wrong with it). For each minor concern I mentioned they charged me 165$, no matter how small the problem or how simple the fix was. If I had known I was going to be charged 165$ for them to tighten my oil drain plug, or for them to tell me that my transmitting was fine, I would have gone anywhere else. I called them the next day and expressed my confusion for being charged such a ridiculous amount for the service I received, and I was told that their policy was to charge 165 for anything they are told to look at, no matter how small. This policy would have been okay if they had mentioned it to me at all before the work was done, instead I dropped my car off for a 25$ emissions testing and picked it up that same day expecting to pay at most 300$ for the work they did but was met with a shocking 500$ tab of diagnostic testing fees and a total...